In an interview with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in London on Thursday, Assange purports that governments are using backdoors to access and store sensitive data from every single citizen in entire cities, including a new flaw in iTunes, reports the International Business Times.

"iTunes has a flaw in it and that flaw is automatically used by some of these [surveillance] companies to take over whatever computer system is running iTunes," Assange said. "And there are these sorts of backdoors into every popular phone, into every popular computer and every popular computer program."

Assange also spoke at City University in London about WikiLeaks' newly released documents that detail large-scale surveillance of citizens by their governments. He went on to say that handset makers monitor and record conversations, and have the ability to take control of a phone without knowledge or consent from the user.

The WikiLeaks founder asked the crowd who had an iPhone, BlackBerry, or uses Gmail. Assange said, "well, you're all screwed. The reality is intelligence contractors are selling right now to countries across the world mass surveillance systems for all those products.

The claim comes just days after news that a program called Caller IQ has been secretly logging and sending home extensive amounts of data from mobile users, like keystrokes and device location, though the company that develops the software says the information is used solely for analytics.

"They are selling Trojans so if you go to some website or if someone sends you an email and bang, it infects your phone with a Trojan and it records what you're saying in the room even when the phone doesn't appear to be active," Assange said.

Phones built by HTC and RIM are running Carrier IQ, and Apple recently acknowledged that although it used the software in earlier builds of the iOS platform, access to user data was limited. German regulators are currently investigating the Cupertino, Calif. tech giant's claims.

It is unclear if Assange has found a true flaw in iTunes, or is merely lumping iOS devices in with products affected by the Carrier IQ software as he has yet to detail the security breech.

Mobile user privacy has been a hot button topic in Congress as of late, with the specter of large corporations colluding with government agencies likened by Assange to an Orwellian "Big Brother" society.

Most recently, Apple found itself under the scrutiny of the U.S. Senate's Subcommittee on Privacy involving geolocation tracking in what the media dubbed "Location-Gate."

Julian Assange speaking at a news conference at the City University in London | Source: Russia Today

"We may end up in an Orwellian totalitarian surveillance state, of course that sounds bombastic but that's literally the surveillance system that we are in," Assange said. "It's total surveillance. It's a worrying situation for Western democracy."

The new claims from Assange purport that security firms are secretly selling surveillance "equipment" to states around the world, allowing governments to locate mobile phones to within 50 meters. Once again, however, it is unclear what the WikiLeaks founder meant by "equipment" as his accusations mention only software.

The iTunes backdoor has not been confirmed by a third party and Apple has yet to issue an official statement regarding the accusations.

Isn't he supposed to be in jail by now for raping multiple women? What's up with that?

And when he's done with the jail sentence for being a degenerate rapist, then he should be tried for illegally stealing information that's not his. He's a simple thief and nothing that he claims can be taken seriously.

Isn't he supposed to be in jail by now for raping multiple women? What's up with that?

And when he's done with the jail sentence for being a degenerate rapist, then he should be tried for illegally stealing information that's not his. He's a simple thief and nothing that he claims can be taken seriously.

I wouldn't be surprised if somebody takes him out eventually.

I am taking anything Assange says at face value, nor his opposers. Here is another side of the story, "Swedish prosecutors charge that while Mr. Assange did have consentual sex with his two accusers, he allegedly did not use a condom, which, according to The Herald Sun, is against Swedish law. Thus, Swedish authorities are in the process of re-issuing the once-closed arrest warrant for Assange."

As a security hole that can be exploited by private hackers, I'd find it scary but the ability of a government to search or eavesdrop is not new and is, in fact, codified into the U.S. constitution. Assuming that there is any truth to his claim whatsoever, then so long as you'd need a search warrant to legally intrude how is this different from any other point at which a phone can be tapped or a room bugged? It may make it easier, but then so did the tape recorder and the wire tap and we didn't lapse into a totalitarian state when those innovations replaced the stenographer or the envelope steamer.

"The iTunes backdoor has not been confirmed by a third party and Apple has yet to issue an official statement regarding the accusations."

And it won't be confirmed either. Once again Apple is singled out because of its dominant status in the tech industry. Assange is constructing the typical boogieman. This guy is truly paranoid.

The sad part is that he attacks the very institutions that protect his right to do what he does. If Assange had released this kind of information from Russian, Chinese, or Israeli sources he would already be dead.

And it won't be confirmed either. Once again Apple is singled out because of its dominant status in the tech industry. Assange is constructing the typical boogieman. This guy is truly paranoid.

The sad part is that he attacks the very institutions that protect his right to do what he does. If Assange had released this kind of information from Russian, Chinese, or Israeli sources he would already be dead.

If I were being accused of rape by Internet blogs I would think going after the company with the most mindshare as my best chance to move the attention away from myself. Then again, that story is a month old and this is just now coming out.

This bot has been removed from circulation due to a malfunctioning morality chip.

Regardless of your zealous patriotic hatred of Assange, I doubt he would be claiming these things without merit. WikiLeaks didn't win Australia's equivalent of the Pulitzer because he is "bogus."

Who cares what prizes WikiLeaks has won? Assange has made quite the habit of publishing information to the internet and I see no reason why he wouldn't publish something such as this. Until he provides even a shred of proof to back an extremely remarkable claim, he's an ass liar.

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone that can do him absolutely no good. Samuel Johnson

Well, the two women who were raped and sexually assaulted certainly think so.

Who's going to believe that guy over the word of two separate women?

Two women who accused Julian Assange of rape and sexual assault are "relieved" by a London court ruling Wednesday ordering the WikiLeaks founder's extradition to Sweden for questioning, their lawyer said.

Isn't he supposed to be in jail by now for raping multiple women? What's up with that?

And when he's done with the jail sentence for being a degenerate rapist, then he should be tried for illegally stealing information that's not his. He's a simple thief and nothing that he claims can be taken seriously.

It's of course possible to have a flaw in any program which can be exploited. Some people have been tricked to give their Apple IDs for free files, and find their info stolen and used to buy things with it.

Is it by design? Certainly not.

Is any software exempt from concern? Certainly not.

The guy isn't connected with his old organization, so the old leaks aren't coming. That's why he's making unspecific allegations. He chose iTunes because of its popularity.

He's a hero. And people are too stupid and brainwashed and frightened to see it. Especially my fellow Americans.

He's not though.

The Guardian newspaper in the UK has a habit of fawning over these types of idiots, and to start with they gushed over Assange every day. However, their relationship with Assange has long since broken down and badly broken down - and you have to wonder why - that's if you can't be bothered to read all the stories that the Guardian published about their fall out.

When the Guardian isn't on your side, you know something is wrong with this "hero".

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As for "fellow Americans" crap - Assange merely published details that 2-3m Americans already had access to in the first place. It's hardly a closed Government when anyone can read some of the stuff he published, is it?

BTW, how's the fighting fund for the chap in prison who released all the cables going? Has our "hero" even written a cheque for the legal representation for the whistle blower? Or is he using WikiLeaks money for his own defense?

What makes you think that I care about fellow human beings? Not all humans are good. The fact of the matter is that certain humans are garbage. What goes around, comes around and he'll be getting what he deserves sooner or later.

What makes you think that I care about fellow human beings? Not all humans are good. The fact of the matter is that certain humans are garbage. What goes around, comes around and he'll be getting what he deserves sooner or later.

Au contraire, there is no completely evil human being. Wouldn't you agree?

Though I must say out of over 7 billion people....at least half of those are bad.